mindfulness, yoga, and cardiovascular disease

Conditions: Cardiovascular Disease; Stress; Anxiety; Depression

Summary: in this study, we will conduct a preliminary, yet comprehensive evaluation of mindfulness and yoga, as compared to an exercise and education-based stress-reduction program. and simultaneous evaluation of the effect of an 8 week program of mindfulness, 12 weeks of yoga practice, and 12 weeks of an exercise and education-based program. 105 otherwise healthy individuals, who have cardiovascular risk factors and mild to moderate stress or anxiety will be randomly assigned to one of the three intervention groups: an 8 week program of mindfulness, 12 week program of yoga practice, and 12 week exercise and education-based group program. all subjects will perform daily practice that will continue after the weekly sessions end, allowing a follow up assessment at 24 weeks. self-reported mood and psychological distress and physiological indicators of function of the ans and stress hormones will be assessed at baseline, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. blood and urine samples will be collected at baseline and 8 weeks to determine levels inflammatory and atherosclerosis markers. we anticipate that the study will provide information on the efficacy of the mindfulness and yoga interventions as stress-reduction practices, variability in potential markers for activation of the brain/cardiovascular system connections, and preliminary estimates of effect size for each of these markers. thus, the study will provide the data needed for designing a future study that will rigorously address these questions in a larger, randomized trial of mindfulness and yoga in patients with cardiovascular risk.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * between the age of 40 and 75 * a framingham score \>10 * a dass-21 anxiety score \>5 * a dass-21 stress score \>10 * a dass-21 depression score \> than 6 * a systolic blood pressure \> 140 * a diastolic blood pressure \> 90 * diagnosed with diabetes * willing to accept randomization into and participation in one of the three intervention programs: mindfulness, yoga, or conventional stress reduction exclusion criteria: * already practicing mindfulness, yoga, or similar meditative mind-body practices on a weekly basis * already enrolled in a lifestyle modification program including exercise or diet program * yoga or meditation be incompatible with religious or philosophical beliefs * experienced a major stressful life event in the last three months prior to the beginning of the intervention that is likely to affect the outcomes of the study * currently being treated or on medications for psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, anger, or hostility * a depression score \>20 on the dass-21 questionnaire * a history of myocardial disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, pacemaker placement, heart failure, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease, wolf-parkinson white syndrome, cardiomyopathy, or severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction * take melatonin supplements or any herbal supplement that contains melatonin or 5-lo inhibitors (turmeric, curcumin, ginger and frankincense herbal extracts) * currently using any drugs that contain beta-adrenergic blocking agents, beta-agonists, glucocorticoids, psychotropic medications, drugs that block 5-lo pathway (zileuton, monetlukast), tnf-a blocking agents (infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab) * a planned change in blood pressure, anticoagulant medication and lipids lower agents (such as aspirin, statin and plavix) 1 month prior and during the intervention * asthma, obstructive pulmonary disease, or any other respiratory disease * pregnant or breastfeeding * an active/chronic infection, cancer, connective tissue, or other inflammatory disease

Keywords: mindfulness meditation yoga inflammatory markers